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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23828302">wherever you are (you are here)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritovillage/pseuds/ritovillage'>ritovillage</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Recovered Memories, Songfic, kind of? very heavily influenced anyway</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:02:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,998</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23828302</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritovillage/pseuds/ritovillage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"You don't think the heroes of Hyrule have ever failed before? You don't think they've ever felt lost? Wherever you are, and wherever you end up, you will always know exactly where you are because you are here."</p><p>(or: at the end of a moment, at the end of the world, something's missing.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kass &amp; Link (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>wherever you are (you are here)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>inspired by "something's missing" from "come from away". it will tear out your heart and rip it to shreds. (but, like, in a good way.)</p><p>hope y'all are coping well with the virus. we can get through this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sea breeze was familiar in a way Link couldn't quite place.</p><p>Not that the reason <em>why</em> was as much of a mystery. His memories had been returning here and there - mainly in little flashes of things, like the smell of a Gerudo herbal tea or the way the wooden planks of Rito Village would creak under his boots - but everything was by and large still eluding him completely. And now that he'd freed three of the Divine Beasts, it was beginning to worry Link how little he could recall of his old life.</p><p>But after returning to Kakariko, dealing with a Yiga spy (although Link had <em>sworn</em> to Dorian not to dredge up his old poor decisions, as he was sure there would be many of his own waiting for him in those as-of-yet murky areas of his brain) and eventually almost breaking down to Paya over the memory of a young girl with blonde pigtails, Impa had suggested he take some time to see the south of Hyrule before trekking off to the desert. And, if Link was honest, it was probably a good idea. Even with the three Divine Beasts of the north reclaimed, the pressure of his impending duty was like an unwavering burden on his shoulders.</p><p>(Link was still waiting on the worries of what would come <em>after</em>, but he was leaving those to hit him like a freight train when the time came. No use in stressing him out unnecessarily, especially considering the way that blood moons had been becoming more and more frequent - practically every night, now.)</p><p>The majority of the Faron Region had been too humid for Link, and so he'd taken a detour to Loshlo Harbor, just a little way west of Hateno Bay. The air was light and crisp, with the gentle lapping of waves on the shore very nearly masking his cautious footsteps along the sand. He didn't especially want to get spotted by any Moblins - a stable hand at the Riverside Stable had mentioned a village towards the south, and he hoped to reach it before nightfall. </p><p>As he turned a corner around a steep cliff face, the familiar sound of an accordian drifted down, carried by the wind, and Link paused. He <em>definitely</em> knew that sound - musicians seemed to be few and far between in this new Hyrule - and glanced up in hopes of seeing who was responsible, to confirm his suspicions. But the rocky face was too high, and it was difficult to get a good look, and Link had used up Revali's help for a good ten minutes or so.</p><p>He sighed, and pulled out his climbing bandana. This was gonna take a while.</p><p>≫ ──── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ──── ≪</p><p>A good twenty minutes later, Link pulled himself up onto the grassy expanse and collapsed into the meadow, gasping for breath. The accordian playing stopped abruptly, and he looked up at the concerned features of Kass, albeit with a beak contorted into what Link assumed was as close Rito can get to laughing mercilessly at somebody else's expense.</p><p>(Well, Kass was too nice for that, but Link would be lucky if there wasn't a song about a legendary hero pausing in his "cliff face conquer" to scarf down a bushel of Endura Carrots by the end of the night.)</p><p>"Hey, Kass," Link murmured weakly, chest heaving. "Music going well for you?"</p><p>The Rito stared down at him, eyes narrowing skeptically. "I take it the climb wasn't to your liking, Hero?"</p><p>"You could say that." Slowly getting to his feet, Link turned to look at the endless expanse of sea, the sun glinting off the waters. "What are you doing all the way up here? Do a lot of people come up here to be serenaded?"</p><p>Kass shook his head, chuckling. "No, the demand is regrettably low in the far corners of Hyrule. I spent a few days in Hateno Village, not sure if you know it"—at Link's fervent nod, he continued—"but the atmosphere was a little too rowdy for my liking. Not that I wish to be the center of attention, but my inspiration was running low."</p><p>"Why were you there in the first place?"</p><p>At this, Kass paused, contemplating something Link couldn't work out from the look on his face, before evidently giving in and saying, "There was a story of the former champions spending some time there, a hundred years ago. My teacher wasn't privy to it, of course, but I remembered him saying he'd started to write a song about them. I'd hoped maybe someone would know of the story, but not even the village elder could help me out."</p><p>He looked back out towards a shroud of trees in the distance, behind which Link knew lay Hateno. "Although, perhaps this wasn't a total waste of time." Glancing back at Link, he continued, "If you're a former Champion as you say, perhaps you would remember something."</p><p>Link let out a frustrated sigh. "If only. The things I remember aren't coming in any order that makes sense. I don't think I could..."</p><p>And then he paused. There was <em>something</em> about the way the sun glinted off the water, <em>something</em> about the path through the trees, <em>something</em> that--</p><p>
  <em>"Urbosa, I'm fine! Really. You needn't trouble yourself with..." The princess<br/>
trailed off as Urbosa sat her down on a nearby tree stump and separated a<br/>
strand of hair.<br/>
</em>
</p><p><em>"Don't be ridiculous, Princess," Urbosa insisted, beginning what Link assumed<br/>
was some kind of braid. "If you're so interested in our "traditional hairstyles",<br/>
</em> <em>the least I could do is demonstrate one." She looked over to the knight<br/>
and gave him a wink, and Link just <strong>knew</strong> she was doing it to wind Zelda up.</em></p><p><em>"I think it would really suit you," Mipha agreed, before turning to face the<br/>
sea, shrouded in vermillion from the setting sun. "The ocean looks so pretty<br/>
</em> <em>tonight. It makes me think of the Domain. I hope my father is doing alright."</em></p><p>
  <em>"You oughtn't be away for too long, Mipha," Zelda reassured, wincing as<br/>
Urbosa tugged a little too hard. "This is just a trip to visit the site of the<br/>
archeological dig, where they dug up that first Guardian. I'm convinced<br/>
there has to be something more there."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Revali grumbled. "If you ask me, this whole thing's a waste of time." He<br/>
gestured towards the sea with an swooping outstretched wing, catching Link's<br/>
ear in the motion. "Besides, why couldn't we have stayed in Hateno? We're<br/>
champions, I'm sure they could have made room for us."</em>
</p><p><em>"If the inn was full, I'm <strong>not</strong> going to argue for you, Revali," Zelda snapped,<br/>
before taking a breath at Urbosa's signal. "I'm sorry, it's just</em>—<em>this is<br/>
so incredibly important to me. If my theory is right, there ought to be these<br/>
huge pillars, full of Guardians. I just don't know where yet."</em></p><p>
  <em>"Don't worry, Princess," Daruk grumbled reassuringly from beside Link, pausing<br/>
in his devouring of a copious meat skewer. "It'll all go without a hitch! You'll see."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zelda smiled at him, before turning her gaze to Link and frowning. "Yes, well,<br/>
it had better."<br/>
</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She sighed, and closed her eyes, and Urbosa sent Link an apologetic glance.<br/>
</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But by now, he was used to that from her.</em>
</p><p>"-are you alright? Link?"</p><p>Link's eyes shot open, looking up from his position on the ground to face a concerned Kass. "Uh...what did you say?" he mumbled, dazedly.</p><p>"You just collapsed, mid-sentence," Kass responded dryly. "Our conversation is the least of my worries. Are you alright?"</p><p><em>Was</em> he alright? To be honest, Link didn't really know. Every moment since he'd woken up had been filled with worries about his memories, worries about being <em>wrong</em> in some way, worries about the scenario where he saves the Princess and she doesn't even recognise him. He let Kass help him to his feet, and then searched for the right words to say.</p><p>"Since I woke up here," he finally began, "everything's been so loud. There's people, everywhere, and there's monsters, and there's all of these different races that all need my help. And it's all I know, so I've been trying to help as many people as I can. But it reaches a point where it feels kind of..."</p><p>"Exhausting?" Kass offered.</p><p>Link shook his head. "Not really. I know that what I'm doing is important. But <em>everyone</em> has problems, and I want to help them, I do, I want to help everyone so badly, but sometimes it just hits me that I <em>can't</em>."</p><p>Kass nodded, fingering a few notes of his accordion with a flourish. "My teacher once said that everyone believed the Creature's return would bring the end of the world. He'd say it's like we're living in the aftermath, like the epilogue of a story that wasn't meant to carry on past the final chapter."</p><p>"And I know it's wrong to feel that way," Link continued, "because I'm the one who's meant to save us. But what kind of hope am I inspiring if I'm thinking like this?"</p><p>At this, Kass looked surprised. "You have brought more hope to my people than anything else in their lifetimes. You have those who believe in you, even if you yourself do not. Is that not enough?"</p><p>"It doesn't feel like it." Link snorted. He paused, crouching down and then swinging his legs over the edge of the cliff face. "I just feel <em>lost</em> sometimes, you know? My memories are taking forever to come back. It's like I'm a stranger to myself. Like something's missing. Like I'm at the end of the world, at the edge of civilisation, and I have no idea <em>who</em> or <em>where</em> I am."</p><p>Silence. Link wondered if he'd offended the Rito with his comment about the "edge of civilisation", before he heard Kass speak.</p><p>"You are here."</p><p>He looked around to face Kass, quizically. The Rito chuckled, walking the few steps between the two to join Link at the cliff edge. Finally, he said, "Look at the sea. See how endless it is?" Kass gestured with a wing that <em>thankfully</em> didn't come into contact with Link and push him off. "They say it's the remnants of an older kingdom, one that flooded eons ago. And say the Hyrule we live in now was built on its ruins, but it must have taken millions and millions of years."</p><p>Link scoffed. "Yeah, well, I don't have millions and millions of years."</p><p>Clicking his beak, Kass replied, "But you have time. Let's say my teacher was right, for sake of argument - let's say this is where the story ends, and there's nothing left. Nothing left to look forward to. You don't think that's ever happened before? You don't think the heroes of Hyrule have ever failed before? You don't think they've ever felt <em>lost</em>?</p><p>"Wherever you are, and wherever you end up, you will always know exactly where you are because you are <em>here</em>. That's all that you need to keep going."</p><p>The Hylian closed his eyes, the sun's reflection burned onto his retinas from the way he'd been staring at the horizon line. "I'm here," he repeated. "At the end of the world."</p><p>"At the end of the world. You are here."</p><p>Link took a breath of that familiar sea air, and opened his eyes. "Even when I've freed the Gerudo, and saved Zelda," he commented, mainly to himself, "something will still be missing. Things won't go back how they were a hundred years ago."</p><p>He saw Kass nod, from the corner of his eye. "No," he agreed, "they won't. Something will always be missing from Hyrule. But we can deal with that when it happens."</p><p>Link knew he was right. After all, that was a problem for future Link to deal with. And as he took out the Sheikah Slate and set a marker for the south-west, he knew that he would be alright.</p><p>After all, Link was <em>here</em>.</p><p>And honestly? He could live with that.</p>
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